Fairy Tale
by Talizora
Summary: [REWRITE HPBL LVBL RWHG DMHG AU] Britain had fallen and yet, he was still not satisfied. With sickening glee, He broadened his horizons and began to spread His suffocating darkness through-out Europe. Slowly, inevitably, Voldemort was realising his dream.
1. Chapter 1

**Fairy Tale**  
_by InsolventDarkTazz_

"Mummy? Would you please tell me the story again?" Pleaded a small six-year-old, as her Mother lovingly smoothed over her floral covers, fluffed frilly pillow's and generally made a fuss. The girls room was simply furnished, but even so the little room was filled with warmth, comfort and security.

"It is very late darling." Mother sighed; it was the same routine every night.

"I know but… _Please?_" The small girl gave her mother the 'puppy-eyes', it was her best weapon. Mother would always give in when faced with large innocent grey eyes, her turned down mouth and lowered head, it was a sure winner. On cue, Mother grinned and her hand brushed softly through her beloved daughter's light-brown hair.

"How can I say no to that face? Hmm? Alright… But when I finish you must go to sleep." Mother teasingly chastised. She poked her daughter's nose, causing it to scrunch cutely and giggle.

"Yes Mum." The daughter made a show of snuggling into her bed and pulling the blankets high over her mouth. Her light-grey eyes sparkled with anticipation in the dim candlelight.

"Before you were born, before your father and I were even married," Mother began, "The world was clouded in darkness. It was unlike what you or I see today… It was cold, dark and filled with unimaginable dangers…"

* * *

She stood on a bridge, the seawater rushing below her feet. It was rough, unforgiving and almost black in colour, thick storm clouds perpetually made the world grey and gloomy. Lightning flashed and streaked across the sky, in a never-ending cycle of eerily silent chaos. She was totally and completely alone out here; in this broken husk of a world she no longer recognised.

Unable even to return to her country of birth; she'd left it and ran away… Away from something that she very much doubted could never be out run. He would never be forgotten, He would just keep killing, keep hunting them, keep cutting a bloody path into her very soul. That man, no... _Monster_ was the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Britain had fallen and yet, he was still not satisfied. With sickening glee, He broadened his horizons and began to spread His suffocating darkness through-out Europe. Slowly, inevitably, Voldemort was realising his dream.

Sighing whole-heartedly, she looked up at the billowing, angry sky, hoping for a whisper of blue. _Nothing._ Just like yesterday, and a week before that, and a year before that. She wondered briefly when the last time was when she had glimpsed blue sky. Perhaps this particular cloud did not have a silver lining?

The roar of a car engine pulled her back to the present. Slowly it grew louder, screaming down the bridge towards her. She turned to see the dim glow of the headlights in the distance. Maybe she wasn't alone after all?

Soon the headlights were blinding and she looked away, the engine slowed and the car stopped beside her. A mighty flash of lightening called the rain to fall, heavy and unmercifully hitting the ground. Desperately trying to cleanse the world of the darkness that was slowly killing it.

The car door opened; "Get in." A low male voice growled, "Now!" it snapped.

She pulled her brown cloak tighter around herself and got into the car, closing the door with a dull snap behind her. The heavy rain and wind continued to ring in her ears, the car accelerated sharply and once again reached a high speed. She shivered slightly and wrung her hands in front of the air vent in the dashboard, it stung her icy fingers.

"You'll catch your death standing out there." The deep mellow voice said from the other side of the car. "What were you thinking?"

She glanced out the window unwilling to meet his eyes, "Maybe I wasn't thinking…"

Her companion sighed heavily. "Hermione, I… _We_were worried. You mustn't do that, it's not safe."

"Nothing is safe anymore, Draco." Hermione snapped looking at the blonde. She huffed and returned her longing gaze to the grey city rushing past. "…Not even the rain."

Draco sighed, changing down a gear to turn into an old warehouse. Sometimes, though not as often as she used to, she was surprised at how well Draco had taken to driving. "Don't dwell 'Mione, it'll do you no good. What we have is what we have; no amount of wishing and standing in the rain will alter that." Draco parked the car and pulled the hand-break with more force than was strictly necessary.

Hermione rolled her eyes and opened the door of the car getting out and slamming it behind her. Draco flinched at the sound and got out of the car quickly.

"Well I'm sorry for having hoped that one day…" She sniffed; "One day we will have again what he did, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life!" She kicked the car in her anguish.

Draco glared at her; shutting his own door with more than a bit of his own frustration. "It's not for lack of trying Granger! What do you think we are doing here every day?" He made his way around the car to the door flinging his arms around in anger.

"Wasting time! We could be out there," She pointed to the outside world, just on the other side of the roller-door, the rain smacking the concrete, the rush of the ocean and the massing black clouds. "Fighting!"

"Suicide." Draco mumbled heatedly and slammed a clenched fist into the large button next to the entrance. The roller-door groaned and squeaked as the automatic motor sprung to life and pulled the heavy steel door closed.

Hermione shook her head and disappeared around a corner into the darkness of the warehouse. Draco watched and listened until he could no longer make out the sound of her frustrated footsteps. He pressed another button - with considerably less force – causing the electric lights to flicker and hummed for a moment before flooding the warehouse with artificial light.

The area before the blonde was a combination of armoury, parking-lot, science lab and workshop. It was the fruit of their labour, years of research and trial-and-error. Anything and everything magically enhanced for better concealment, easier use, and killing efficiency. This was one of the last forts left against the Dark Lord, and Draco would be dammed if his whole life was thrown away for nothing.

_...tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

The music was almost deafening, it shook the walls of the warehouse rhythmically. Thump-thump, thump-thump. The echoing screech of an angle-grinder was barely audible under the force of the base. The steel glowed and sparks flew in all directions as it was brought down repeatedly.

Hermione leaned against the doorway, two cups of coffee in hand. She was dressed in a light nightgown, a bathrobe thrown over her shoulders. She gazed at Draco thoughtfully; the protective mask hid his face but the tell-tale silver-blonde hair was unmistakable. He was always so strong, brave, and yet at the same time… So _Slytherin_.

He was strange to say the least but Hermione knew now that what the world had seen before the war was not the real Draco Malfoy but what his father had forced him to show.

Seeing a break in his work, she gently placed one cup on the bench and then laid her hand on his shoulder. He lifted the protection mask off his face and smirked. He clicked the music off, and waited for the grinder to power down before placing it on the bench.

"Morning Hermione." Draco greeted, letting his eyes wonder over her body. Even in that old nightgown she looked stunning. "Are you feeling any better?" She just nodded, not speaking. "Sorry about the early start, but I wanted to get this finished. Ron'll be back soon and hopefully then we can get _Him_to wake up."

"It will be hard… He's been asleep for such a long time." Hermione thought aloud. She motioned to the coffee with her free hand. "Thought you might need some…"

"With all that research you did… You'll know what to do." Draco blew softly across his mug before taking a sip. "You always do." Truth be known Draco had always been in awe of Hermione's intellectual prowess, he was a firm believer that if she couldn't do it, no one could.

Hermione fought a blush from creeping up her face. "This isn't supposed to be easy; he's in a bloody coma for Merlin's sake!"

"True… but it was chemically forced on him." Draco grinned. Privately he loved seeing her flush and get angry, her brown eyes seemed to light up like they used to; before the war.

"That doesn't make a bloody difference. It's been more than _six years!_ I mean… We took him out of Britain! What… How do you think _you'd feel_, huh?" Hermione yelled her hand planted firmly on her hip.

Draco sighed and placed his coffee back down on the bench. "I don't know… Now, I need to get back to work." His hand paused before flipping down the protection mask. "Thanks for the coffee."

Hermione huffed and stormed off into one of the adjacent rooms, away from the workshop. She needed to see Him… Needed to talk to Him. Her feet took her there, to the back room, the one room no one went into.

_Harry's room._

* * *

It was supposed to be the final battle, it was supposed to be about the light triumphing over the darkness in a blaze of glory, but it was more like _slaughter_. Voldemort's Death Eaters where too ruthless, powerful and organised, there were just too many of them. Before the Order could even rally their troops Hogwarts was overrun.

Hogwarts had fallen…

The air was filled with the sounds of screaming, shouting, and crying. Spells clashed, flashing a rainbow of colour on the otherwise bleak grey and crimson halls of Hogwarts. Above it all was _always_the ghostly laughter of the Dark Lord, who lazily wondered the corridors stepping over the gore and corpses of the many hundreds of students who had met their fate that night.

Harry stood in the centre of the Great Hall, his wand still raised even as he bled heavily from multiple cutting spell wounds. He literally shook with rage as Voldemort entered with Macnair and Malfoy Senior at his side.

The Dark Lord laughed at the sight before him, "How pitiful Potter! Still standing? Didn't you know? It's over, you've failed! This school belongs to me now! I've won." Voldemort yelled.

Malfoy and Macnair snickered, "I will never let you!" Harry screamed and lunged towards the Dark Lord, magic forgotten. The monster had killed his Mother, his Father. His minions had killed his Godfather and his mentor, Dumbledore.

Harry was blinded by the force of his rage and grief.

Malfoy caught Harry's wand arm and swung him down, his face crashing into the floor. Harry coughed and spat out the mouthful of blood that had threatened to choke him. He heard more than felt the crunch of his nose breaking.

"Harry, Harry, Harry. Why won't you join me? You are wasting your time with these… _Filth!"_Voldemort spat, flicking his wand in the direction of his friends. Hermione was holding onto Ron's arm, supporting him as his leg had been wounded earlier and would no longer support his weight.

"They're not filth!" Harry growled, wiping his mouth and struggling to get free from Malfoy's hold. "You're the only filth I see here _Tom!"_

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, "Don't call me that you pathetic boy! Macnair!"

"Yes my Lord!" Macnair's eyes narrowed and glinted maliciously as he patted his battle-axe lovingly.

Voldemort smirked, "Please keep our guest company while I see to the main event!"

Macnair smiled evilly, raising his axe above his head, "Will you scream for me Potter?" He asked before bringing the glinting weapon down onto Harry's back.

…_tbc_


	3. Chapter 3

Macnair had failed, somehow even with all that had been done to Harry's body he hadn't died. His stubbornness to live, to fight and to win had kept him alive even hours after the Death Eaters had left Hogwarts. They found him, partially buried by shattered stone, surrounded by blood.

The healers had been swift, and unrelenting in their healing. Within the hour they'd secreted him away to St. Mongo's. They did their best, and the news of Harry's steady recovery had been plastered across every wizarding front-page within Britain.

That had been their first mistake. Every Order member had visited Harry at least once during his six month stay, and as a result the security on his room had become non-existent. Truly, implementing the Dark Lords plan to finally rid the world of The-Boy-Who-Lived would be too easy.

Pansy's heels clicked rhythmically as she made her way towards the private ward. Perhaps her chosen out-fit was not practical as a Medi-Witch, but it certainly did not lack style. In fact the extent of her disguise was a simple hair-colour change potion and a light facial glamour.

The incompetence of the Healers and the Order of the Phoenix was unbelievable. Pansy could hardly believe that the specky git, their _Chosen One_, had single handily escaped and thwarted every plan her Lord schemed; because taking into account the present evidence, the Order hindered more than helped their saviour.

Pansy rolled her eyes and swished her hips sensually as she passed Potter's 'guards'. They were snoozing, one had this morning issue of The Profit draped over his face and the other was drooling down the arm that held his head. _Pathetic!_

Pansy pulled Potters door open – _it wasn't even locked for Merlins-sake_ - and surveyed the darkened room inside. He was still asleep, it seemed. From the glowing reports listed on the front page of The Prophet, Pansy had come assuming the Boy Wonder would at least be conscious… But, she certainly wasn't going to wake the git and gloat. Unlike some of her fellow Death Eaters.

With a bump of her hips the door snapped closed and an absent swish of her wand over her shoulder insured they would not be heard or interrupted. Pansy tucked her wand between her breasts, hiding the weapon in her expanse of cleavage and approached Potters bed.

He'd just begun to fill-out, Pansy could see his sparse - but still thick - growth of facial hair, his cheek-bones were more prominent now that he'd lost the last of his baby-fat. He was quite broad for his short stature, he'd have lost his classic 'seekers build' if he'd grown any taller.

He'd make a fair beater now, Pansy thought. She looked away from the sleeping man and pulled a small muggle syringe from within her white Medi-Witch robes. She held it aloft for a moment, and watched the thick purple goo slide to the base of the needle. She tapped it with her finger, like she'd seen muggles do on telly-vision and depressed the plunger.

With a quiet hum Pansy grasped Potters closest arm and tapped his inner elbow three times, his veins instantly became visible and quickly Pansy located the correct one to insert the needle. Without any hesitation she slipped the needle into Potters arm and forced the thick potion into his bloodstream.

Pansy watched as the volume of potion decreased and flowed into Potter, with a twisted smile. Her Master would reward her handsomely for this; she could barely wait.

With this, Potter would slip into a comer so deep not even death would wake him. Pansy couldn't stop the light chuckle that broke free from her lips as she watched the last dregs of the purple potion leave the syringe. And the best part? Pansy smirked, it was permanent.

Or so Voldemort thought…

Hermione had begun her work five years ago and until one month ago it seemed as if the jig was up. She had finally found a cure, but it would be painful… Slow and drastically change Harry for life. That's why Ron was missing, that's why Draco was on edge and that's why Hermione was at the end of her rope.

"Harry…" She said her voice breaking. There he was, laying still as ever on a cold steel table. He was deathly pale, dark rings around his eyes. He had been like this for too long. "Darling." Hermione reached out and moved his hair away from his forehead revealing his scar. "Why…" She broke down and cried, her coffee mug smashed on the concrete floor.

…_tbc_


	4. Chapter 4

When their solitary warehouse wasn't filled with the thumping beats of muggle music, the silence was unbearable. The port that the Trio had made their base had been abandoned early on in Voldemort's campaign. And so, it was that the distance hum of an engine could be heard easily giving them more warning than the proximity alarm of the warehouse door.

Ron was back… That meant that either Harry would be… or wouldn't be awoken. Hermione stood in the doorway waiting, the gold Ute parked and the driver's door was flung open. A tall man with red hair exited, wearing a grey cloak. Then the passenger side door opened and a woman covered from head to toe in a threadbare black cloak stepped out.

The red-headed man hurriedly walked over to Hermione and pulled her into a tight hug. "I missed you." He whispered. Hermione couldn't say anything she just nodded, her eyes locked on the cloaked stranger. The woman stood away from the two, her eyes downward, her face covered in shadow.

Ron stepped back from his enthusiastic embrace and glared back at his passenger, "Hermione I'd like you to meet, Bellatrix Lestrange..." He said, his hand making a vague motioning gesture towards the stranger.

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she stalked up to the woman, and slapped her. "That's for Sirius!" The woman , however didn't raise to the bait and merely continued looking down only pausing to fix her hood. "Come with me." Hermione snapped.

Bellatrix Lestrange was a name feared amongst not only the magical world but also the muggle world; and for good reason. She had once been the right hand of the Dark Lord Voldemort; her loyalty unwavering until he stole from her the one thing she valued more than life itself.

His actions proved that he was only going to bring the magical Britain to ruin, and now, He would be taking the rest of the world with it.

He had changed her, changed her beyond all reasoning. She'd given herself to him, her mind, body and heart and he had broken her. Taken her apart piece by bloody piece, then stitched her back together like some macabre jigsaw puzzle and betrayed her.

She wasn't even human anymore.

"You must understand, Granger." Bella said, her voice was deeper than usual and almost seemed to hiss. "As I have explained to Weasley many times… This may not work; I do not actually know what it will do to him. I might even kill him."

Hermione stopped outside Harry's door. "Don't you think we already know that? You, unfortunately are our only hope." She sneered hatefully at the cloaked figure. Had Voldemort truly broken her? She wondered.

Hermione sighed and pressed a hand to the cold steel door of Harry's room. "Either way… We thank you for your cooperation and we ask for your further help in the war." Hermione said hurriedly, turned and glared at the ex-Death Eater expectantly

"I would be honoured to help." Bella bowed.

Hermione lowered her head, staring intently at the ground, then she opened the door and let Bella enter. "I will return in one hour." She said curtly and shut the door behind her, locking it. Hermione fingered the key for a moment and glanced back at the door.

"Please, come back to us Harry." She whispered before walking away.

…_tbc_


	5. Chapter 5

"Bellatrix… My most faithful, powerful, beautiful servant…" Voldemort all but purred in Bella's ear circling her like some kind of marine predator. "Do you trust me?" The monster asked.

Bella's eyes shone with devotion and - despite her best efforts - some long buried mockery of love. "With my life and my heart, I am yours, Master." She whispered kneeling and kissing his robes as he came to a stop in front of her. Bella felt a tingle of desire shoot down her spine when Voldemort laid his hand on her head, almost affectionately.

"I am pleased to hear it, my Bellatrix, so very pleased. But I have a something to ask of you."

"Anything, Master. Anything!" Bella took Voldemort's hand in her own and placed it on her cheek brushing her lips against his long, cold, white fingers.

Voldemort smirked. "Would you like to become more powerful? More beautiful? To better serve your Master?"

Bella gasped, her eyes shining with tears she bowed again, pressing her lips to the monsters robes. "Yes! Yes! Anything to please you, my Lord!" She said breathlessly, almost moaning in ecstasy.

"We will begin immediately." Voldemort snapped stepping around her and striding from the throne room. "Follow me, Bellatrix."

What followed was worse than physical, or psychological torture. Voldemort literally cut Bella apart, dissecting her piece by piece. Bella pleaded with him to stop after two days, but no matter how much she begged, or cried, or screamed he never stopped.

Bella didn't know how long it had been since he started, but one day, or it could have been night, she didn't really know, the pain suddenly stopped. Bella awoke to a pure white room, with no windows, no doors and no furniture. She was naked, alone, and unable to sleep she waited for her Master to return. It could have been hours or days later, when one of the white walls shifted and Voldemort walked into Bella's prison.

"You're awake? How extraordinary. How do you feel my dear?" He asked; his crimson eyes seemed to glow with power.

"Wha'… What…" Bella tried to speak but all that came out of her mouth was a gasp and a hiss. Her tongue felt sluggish in her mouth and her jaw ached. She twirled her numb tongue around her mouth; it felt foreign, it did not feel like her mouth anymore. Her teeth had changed, they were sharp, jagged even and when her jaw was closed they seemed to interlock tightly.

She raised her hands to her face and froze, her skin was an off-grey almost blue colour. Dark black markings circled her wrists and wrapped down her arms, she traced one with a black claw-like nail. It travelled down her slim arm to her shoulder and split one disappearing down her back and the other down her chest.

Again it split connecting with an identical marking on her left side at her collar bone then down the centre of her chest to her belly-button. Blinking owlishly, she looked back at her Master.

"What did you do to me?" She managed to growl, her sharp teeth nipped and cut her tongue as she spoke.

Voldemort laughed, "Nothing you didn't agree to, my poor, poor, Bellatrix."

Bella's eyes narrowed and she struggled to stand, her legs shook violently and she collapsed. Her knees slammed into the cold white marble floor, the impact causing her whole weakened body to jar and she bit her tongue again. She hissed in pain and spat out the blood that filled her mouth, it was not red.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

Voldemort's laughter cut off sharply and he stepped towards her quickly, his hand pulled back and with an almighty crack he slapped her across the face. Bella's head snapped sideways. "You are still my servant, Bellatrix! Even if you are a filthy half-breed! You will continue to speak to me with the respect I deserve. Or I will hurt you… _Again."  
_  
Bella froze; "H-Half-breed!" No-no-no… She sobbed it couldn't be true. Her body shook violently with every gasp.

"_Yesss."_ Voldemort hissed. "A half-breed… Part witch, part vampire and part werewolf." He laughed again. "It almost seems fitting really, that it was only you out of the dozens of witches and wizards that went through the same procedure survived. You, who had so much pride in your bloodline, so much for the ancient and noble house of Black!"

Bella rocked back and forth clawing at her arms and chest, her new sharp nails cut deeply into her blue skin and drew blood. Bella looked down at her claws, they began to shake more violently. The blood that splattered around her still wasn't red, not anymore. Now it was black.

After what Voldemort did to her, she fled the castle. He had turned her into the one thing she hated the most, a half-breed. The pain and sorrow almost overwhelmed her as she hid away in caves. Unable to bring herself into the light and see her deformed and twisted body.

However, over months of self-imposed isolation her body healed and grew stronger. And new feelings slowly arose within her. She was the first and last of her type, she wasn't a human or a witch or a vampire or even a werewolf. Thoughts of the house of Black's pride where meaningless now.

She had found a new pride now.

She was more powerful than ever and spent every, waking, moment, learning about her new abilities. She had no desire to re-join Voldemort or even to seek out human companionship. No, the only time she needed to expose herself was when she needed to feed. The hunger drove her, urged her from town to town. It seemed like nothing would slake her primal hunger for human blood and flesh.

That's how Weasley had found her, he followed the rumours of a monster, a demon; that entered your house at night and gorged itself on all who lived inside.

…_tbc_


	6. Chapter 6

Bella almost flinched when Granger snapped the heavy metal door closed behind her. Even after all the time she'd spent hiding in caves, the reality of being sealed inside a small sterile room brought back too many bad and painful memories.

Bella took a deep breath and stared at the boy for a moment, he looked so peaceful. Why would you want to wake up such a handsome man just to have him see what the world he left had turned into? Slowly she made her way to stand beside the steel bench; kneeling down beside the boy she brushed some of his black messy hair away from his scar.

There it was, the reason her ex-master had lost his power. She traced it with the tip of her finger, and shivered. This boy was beyond powerful, she knew. She had felt it when she had fought him on multiple occasions. He had the sheer physical power but at the time he was untrained and unskilled to wield it. B somehow he still defeated the Dark Lord. He was The-Boy-Who-Lived. And yet, here he was helpless… Comatose.

It would be so easy…

"Hello Harry. It's Bella here…" She felt like an idiot, she didn't even know if he could hear her! "I know you must hate me for what I did to Sirius but… I hadn't meant for him to fall through the veil. I only hit him with a stunner…" Bella shrugged and made vague gestures with her clawed hands. "Harmless, really." She sighed.

_Why was she defending herself?  
_  
"Your friends…" She paused and glanced back at the locked door. "They want me to help you. They have told me that they have tried everything else, you see. I'm their final option." Bella whispered, and forced herself to look back to the unconscious boy.

"Once you wake you must promise not to lash out at me… I am truly a prisoner to them." This thought filled her with sadness; she had found some kind of happiness before Weasley had turned up.

Slowly, Bella lowered her hood, exposing her face to the dim blue glow of Harry's room. Her lips were black, her skin a light grey-blue colour, made almost luminescent by the lights. Strange twisting markings started on her cheeks and over her eyelids disappearing at the neck of her cloak. Her eye's glowed and reflected the low light of the room, appearing as a metallic blue.

Her lips parted exposing her clean white teeth, her K9's on the top and bottom were larger than the rest but all where sharpened to a point. She paused for a moment; she had never tried this before. Bella wasn't even sure if it could be done! She looked over the young man's body, the last time she saw him he was a bloody broken mess. She could still see the scars; she traced them down his arm. She knew she was procrastinating, delaying the moment when she would bite him and re-make him.

Her bite would scar, she knew, and it would not be a delicate mark like that of a Vampire. No, her bite reflected more of her wolfen side. Her pointed serrated teeth sunk deep into the boys shoulder, as she ripped into the boy. His sweet, hot blood flooded her mouth. It was exquisite, perhaps the best she'd ever tasted; but there was another flavour there. It was bitter, sour and oily and Bella had to force herself not to pull away. It must have been the taint of the potion.

Bella pressed herself down more firmly urging herself to continue past the flavour of the potion and begun the trade, his blood for her venom. This would make him the only other half-breed wizard-were-vamp in existence.

Bella could only hope it would not kill him.

Draco leaned forward and stared at his dangling feet. This was it, all they had been working towards. Years of research, fighting and hiding was about to finally come to an end. But it was anyone's guess if it would mean the end of Voldemorts rein as well.

"I hope this works," Draco muttered, while sitting on the kitchen table. He sighed and reclined back, his hands lifted and crossed behind his head. Ron glanced up at him from his place leaning against the doorframe and shook his head. It seemed like Weasley was feeling just as helpless.

The sound of Hermione's brisk footsteps shattered the oppressing silence. Within seconds she had entered the kitchen, glanced between the two melancholy men and huffed. "Draco!" She snapped, "Get off the table!" She said, slapping him lightly on the shoulder as she passed him.

Draco slipped off the table and stared at the muggle-born. She began filling the kettle with water and setting out three tea cups. "Is she…" Draco hesitated.

"Yes." Hermione whispered, as she unnecessarily tidied the kitchen. The silence that stretched on was awkward and oppressive, only broken by the whistle of the kettle as the water boiled.

Ron cast a look at Draco, then Hermione. "What he did to her… She's not human…" He looked down at the ground and shuddered.

"It is true then." Draco said coming to stand next to Hermione and helping her serve the tea. "She is no longer a pure-blood?"

Ron just nodded, his eyes glazed over. "While we were traveling… I saw her feed. It's not pretty." He gagged at the memory.

…_tbc_


	7. Chapter 7

They had been traveling for about five days now. At first Bella had been incessant at trying to talk Ron out of his 'crazy plan', but by the third day she had given up. Ron noticed she had begun to slump slightly over the last few hours.

"Hey…" Ron said glancing over at his prisoner.

Bella jumped slightly, her hood slipping and revealing some of her face. Ron gulped, he had no issues with half-breeds before, but this was different. What she was wasn't natural. "You okay? You're not looking so good; don't go dying on me when we still need you."

Bella pulled her hood back down over her face. "I have not fed for many days now. I will need to feed before we reach our destination."

_"F…Feed?"_ Ron stuttered. "You mean…" Ron pulled his coat closed over his neck; his eyes flickering between the road and his unwanted passenger.

Bella chuckled, "Not from you, fool. I'd kill you. No… I need someone else." Bella whispered looking out the Ute's window. Her black tongue slid over her jagged teeth, she could almost taste the sweetness of her next meal.

"How… I mean… When?" Ron stuttered, Bella noticed his knuckles had turned white gripping the steering-wheel.

Bella watched him for a moment, they passed a sign that estimated another 8 miles to the next town. "Stop at the next village. I will feed there."

Ron shuddered. "O-Okay, but remember. If you attack me I'll use the UV light." He patted the long silver torch attached to his belt. Bella shivered the combination of pure silver and ultra-violet light was fatal to her. It was the reason she had gotten into the muggle-travel contraption in the first place.

It had taken Ron another half-hour to drive to the next town, he hesitated before pulling into a petrol station just off the highway. "Umm, how do I know you won't just, eh, run off?" He stuttered trying desperately not to make eye contact.

Bella made a chuckling hissing sound, that Ron assumed was laughter. "I promise Weasley, I will not 'run away'. You found me once? What's the point in making you chase me again?" Bella asked, not expecting an answer.

She opened the door and slipped out into the shadows thrown by the street lights. She could feel Weasley following her. Bella paused as she passed a house with a light on, she sniffed the air and waited. A moment later squeals of young girlish laughed flowed out of the partially open window. _How delightful!_ Bella grinned and began climbing up the side of the house. _A buffet!_

Ron stood, frozen as he watched Bella's dark shape slip into the open window. For a moment Ron thought to burst in and stop the evil creature, but he hesitated too long. A series of screams filled the quiet street; and Ron watched in a kind of trance-like horror as he saw and heard Bellatrix feed.

It could not have taken her more than fifteen minutes before she returned to Ron's side. Her face, hands and cloak soaked in blood and gore. She grinned up at the house, her eyes never leaving the still open window. The once pink curtain was now stained red.

"After all," She whispered, "I am not the one who gives chase?"

…_tbc_


	8. Chapter 8

"Ron!" Hermione called as she kneeled down in front of him. He hadn't noticed sinking to the floor his mind otherwise occupied by vivid, gory memories of his travel with Bellatrix.

"You know this is the only way… We must get the potion out of his system!" Hermione said, repeating the same lecture the two men had heard so many times . "…But draining him of his blood will do nothing but kill him. Vampirism and lycanthropy clean the blood and remake it, strengthening it. This is the only way we can be sure." She gently ran her hands through Ron's short red hair, soothing him.

"…What about those blood transfusion things you were talking about?" Ron said looking up at her. His eyes where haunted, he had always been the worst effected by Harry's absence.

"None of us have the same blood type or the skill, equipment and resources to do something like that. And even if we did I don't think Harry would survive us replacing his entire blood supply. The chances of rejection are too high. It just wasn't an option." She sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ron"

"It's not your fault. It's those Death Eaters and _Him_." Ron hissed, his hands balling into fists. He could still hear those girls screaming, and he'd just stood there. Watched as that, _monster_ ate them alive. That same monster he'd brought here, intentionally, so it could turn his best-mate…

Draco rolled his eyes; "Why don't you say his name? It's not like he's going to pop out and say, Boo!"

Ron glared at him; "Whatever."

"Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, see?" Draco opened up cupboards and called the Dark Lords name out, like he was some missing pet. "Voldemort, Voldemort," Draco spun around on the spot, "Voldemort, Voldemort… VOLDIE!" he was yelling by the end, and panting.

Ron stood and punched Draco in the stomach. "Bastard!" Draco coughed and wheezed doubling over and falling to the floor.

"RON! How dare you! He was only joking!" Hermione kneeled down beside Draco and gently touched his stomach. "Are you alright?"

"I-" Draco gasped.

"What are you doing 'Mione?" Ron interrupted, glaring hatefully at Draco.

"Seeing if he's alright, you ass!" She turned and glared right back at him.

Ron's eyes narrowed and he scoffed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I leave you alone with him for a month or so and you're already fucking him!"

"WHAT?" Hermione screeched, her cheeks flushing bright crimson. Draco flinched at Hermione shrill voice and carefully stood up.

"She most certainly is not you bloody git!" Draco yelled, as he limped slightly and faced Ron. The two men glared at each other, both daring the other to strike first.

Hermione groaned, "Ronald Weasley! When will you understand that whatever we had is gone? It left the moment we lost Harry." She shook her head sadly.

Ron's eyes flicked from his ex-girlfriend to his school-enemy, "I hate you, Malfoy." He spat in Draco's face, turned and left the two. Draco swore he could see steam coming out of the red-heads ears.

Hermione growled, "Ron is so… ARGH!" She grabbed a teacup from the table and threw it across the room. It smacked into the tiled wall with a crash, the china tinkling quietly as it sprinkled to the floor.

Draco smirked at Hermione's lack of words. "Would you?"

She froze; "Would I what?" Her eyes narrowed.

Draco grinned and folded his arms over his chest. "Fuck me?" Hermione rolled her eyes and walked away. "Wait… Come on! Tell me!" Draco reached out and caught her arm.

She turned and glared right at his silver eyes. "Not even if you were- muph."

Hermione never finished her threat, because Draco had kissed her.

Ron paced in front of Harry's door. He knew that his relationship with Hermione was over, had been for years now. They had tried to make it work after Harry's accident, but the more they tried the more they fought. And eventually even their make-up sex began to lack passion.

Ron huffed and glared at the closed steel door. He just wanted his best-mate back, he wanted everything to go back to the way it had been before all this. Before the coma, before the running and fighting. Back to when he still had his family, before he'd had to bury them. He took a deep breath and reached out to open the door, and immediately wished he hadn't.

Harry was convulsing violently, blood was frothing in his mouth, his eyelids fluttered constantly; he was already turning. Thick rivers of the deepest red oozed down his arms and dripped onto the floor. Harry gave a violent jerk, his arms and legs flapping around and splattering blood on the walls and ceiling.

Ron's eyes widened as he looked around the room, everything was covered in blood. The sound of someone throwing up, their sick sloshing and splattering heavily against steel drew Ron's attention to Bellatrix.

She was crouched over the sink, her body was rejecting the blood she'd taken from Harry. It was tainted, Ron realised. If she didn't she too would succumb to the potions effects.

Bella gasped and clutched at the sides of the sink, desperately trying to draw air into her lungs. She could feel her stomach rolling and clamping, her body was already doing half the work for her. She was naturally rejecting the foul blood she'd taken from Potter.

She took a breath before shoving her fingers down her throat forcing herself to expel more of Potter's blood. The whole room smelt horrid, a mixture of sweat, bile and blood.

The smells, sounds and sights before Ron were too much and he had just enough time to lean behind the open door to throw up. Not bothering to close or lock it Ron turned abruptly, moved back into the corridor, and lent against the wall. He could still hear Harry thumping against the walls and table, and Bellatrixs heaving coughs.

This was just great… His best friend was becoming a creature that defied nature, they had a psychotic murderer throwing up blood and his ex-girlfriend was having sex with Malfoy.

_What else could go wrong today?  
_  
Ron wiped his mouth on his sleeve and made his way back into the kitchen. Draco had Hermione pinned to the kitchen table, he was shirtless and had his head buried between her exposed breasts. Hermione's legs were wrapped around Draco's waist rhythmically pulling him tighter against herself.

"What the HELL are you two doing!" Ron screamed.

Hermione pushed Draco off her so quickly he lost his balance and collapsed on the floor. She gasped, her whole face and neck flushed red, whether from embarrassment or pleasure Ron didn't know; and quickly pulled her shirt back down. "R-on." Her voice came out as a squeak.

Draco sighed and sat up slowly, from where he'd fallen. He collected his shirt from where it had been thrown and tossed it over his shoulder, "Close your mouth Weasley, wouldn't want you to catch anything."

"Close my… That's IT!" Ron growled and pounced on Draco. The two men fell to the ground, Ron screamed, enraged and punched Draco repeatedly, "I'LL KILL YOU!" his fist cracking into Draco's jaw.

"YOU DON'T HAVE THE BALLS, WEASEL!" Draco grabbed Ron's shoulders and head-butted him, Ron's nose crunched loudly and blood gushed from the split on the bridge of his nose.

"BOYS, BOYS! DRACO! RON! STOP IT!" Hermione called, but it was useless.

…_tbc_


	9. Chapter 9

It had not taken long for Bella to expel all she had taken from Potter. She rested her head against the cool steel sink and caught her breath. She reached up blindly and turned on one of the taps. Cool, clean water began washing the foul mixture of congealing blood, bile, sweat and what Bella privately thought was her stomach lining down the drain.

She sighed and began washing her face, hands and neck. She cupped come water between her hands and brought it up to her lips, sloshing it around her mouth she spat it back out and repeated the action until she could no longer taste Potters tainted blood.

Once done Bella took to watching over the young man. She wondered how old he was now? She'd stop taking notice of the passage of time during her isolation. It was unnerving to watch him change into the same twisted half-breed creature Voldemort mad made her.

He was grinding his teeth, and every now and then Bella would catch a glimpse of his sharpening teeth and elongated K9's. His markings had already wound their way across his rapidly darkening skin. Bella caught herself wondered what colour his eyes would be.

She watched in awe as a wave of pride filled her. She reached out a clawed hand and softly touched his sweat covered cheek. The markings continued to etch themselves into his flesh under her touch. He was hot, very hot! Panic coursed through her as his body temperature only seemed to increase, the markings were deep now and blood seeped out of them, adding to the already overflowing pool of blood on the table.

He began thrashing around violently again, hitting himself, the walls and the table. She had to restrain him!

Bella glanced around the room but she saw nothing to tie him up with. Steeling herself she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips she wound her feet around his ankles and pressed down holding his flailing legs. She ducked one of Potter's fists, grasped both his wrists and slammed his arms down above his head.

She clenched her teeth as she struggled to hold him down; he was surprisingly strong. After what seemed like hours his fever broke and his body temperature lowered for what she knew for kind to be normal.

Bella released a breath, unaware she had even been holding it. He finally stopped struggling but she continued to hold him down just in case. He moaned softly, tugged gently at the hold she had on his wrists, before his eyes fluttered open.

His eyes were still human, and his natural shade of emerald green. They were unfocused and glazed over, as if he was still asleep. He blinked repeatedly and Bella watched as his eyes changed before her. His human pupils shrunk down until all she could see was a tiny black speck, his emerald green irises enlarged to cover all the white of his eye.

She was entranced by the beauty she saw there, she could look into these eyes for the rest of eternity… But the spell was broken when Potter blinked again, his eyes clear and alert again.

"What…?" He croaked.

"Shhh…" Bella hissed. "Your safe, childe." _Where did that come from?_ She wondered… It was possible it was the vampire in her…

"Your safe. Sleep. You've been through a rough night. Sleep, I'll watch over you." He seemed to agree as he closed his now reflective metallic green eyes. Bella gently got off the young man and looked over him. Taking in all the changes his turning had brought.

He was – _in her eyes_ - now complete. Whole. He had looked as if he was waiting for something, laying there on that steel table. Bella supposed he pulled off the look well… Considering she was the only other of their kind.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling, that odd sense of pride grew and filled her heart. Now there were two of them. Someone to share her knowledge with, to teach the ways of her species, and Bella would never admit it aloud, but the fact that he was male filled her with an odd sense of hope.

_Perhaps we could…_ Bella couldn't explain her feelings. Not moments ago she felt nothing for the boy but now… Even as she made her way towards the open door, heat began pooling in her stomach and her skin felt… Tingly.

_Oh no… I'm not… Shit!_

…_tbc_


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione was still trying to pull Ron off Draco when Bella entered. Ron was astride Draco blood spattered from his broken nose across both their shirts, slamming Draco's head repeatedly into the tiled kitchen floor. She watched, unamused, for a moment before clearing her throat loudly.

The three turned and looked at her. Dry blood was clumped in her long dark hair and her clothes dripped, her hood was down and for the first time all three saw her face.

"I think I'm going to be sick… _Again._" Ron groaned and covered his mouth.

Bella's eyes narrowed, she straightened her stance and stuck her nose in the air. It was the posture she was all too familiar with as a Black, but it was ruined by the – all too common - roll of her eyes.

"It is done." Bella snapped. "I have to go back and watch over him, but I thought you'd like to know that Miss Granger's plan worked. He's no longer comatose, just sleeping. I will not know the full extent of the damage until he awakens again." She bowed and left the three standing, crouched and sitting, shocked.

Draco pushed Ron off him and quickly stood. "See! I told you, you knew what you were doing!" He exclaimed, pulling Hermione into a tight embrace.

"And I told you… _Wait…_He's?" Hermione pulled back and rested a hand over her heart.

Draco smirked, taking both her hands and dancing her around the room. "You did it! You did it!" He sang.

Ron glanced at them and gagged, "…I really am going to be sick."

* * *

_Fate,_ Bella thought as she gazed into the mirror in Harry's room. She threaded her hand through her hair and pulled out some of the globules of congealed blood that had begun to stick her hair together in some hellish parody of dread-locks.

_-was a bitch!_ _Oh how hilarious,_ Bella whined internally. _Let's make Bellatrix Lestrange and Harry Potter the only two of some new Dark Creature species and see how that turns out!_ _Sparks will fly!_ She huffed and made another attempt to un-clump her hair.

_This is stupid, how can I, in the span of little over an hour go from hating Potter to… Liking him? No, it's more than that - feeling attracted to him? Eugh, Salazar help me! I am not attracted to the Boy Wonder! I just feel… A sense of perverted kinsman-ship with him!_

She stared deeply into her reflections eyes. _Maybe… Maybe we have mates?_ She speculated. _Thus because Potter is the only other creature of our type in existence we have to… And why am I not repulsed by this? I'm not attracted to Potter, I'm NOT._

Bella let her head fall forward and press against the cool mirror's surface. _Why do I feel a deep ache inside me? What is it that I want? What are my instincts telling me? _

She growled in frustration, and punched the glass; it shattered and tinkled as the silver slithers hit the floor.

"That's seven years bad luck you know." A deep, raspy voice said behind her.

She turned sharply, her eyes narrowed, "You, are supposed to be asleep." She all but hissed at him.

Harry shrugged, "Not when people are smashing mirrors." He was propped up on his elbows, gazing at her curiously.

She rolled her eyes, gazed back at him for a moment then frowned. "Wait… Do you remember who I am?"

He looked at her intently, his head tilting to the side like a puppy. "You look familiar but… The person I'm thinking of doesn't have blue skin, metallic eyes, and weird markings on her face. What ARE you by the way?"

Bella sighed and rubbed her eyes. _How do I tell the Gryffindor Golden Boy he is no longer human?  
_  
"Potter… I'm…" Bella cleared her throat. "_Was_Bellatrix Lestrange… But now I am a…" She sighed. "Well we don't really have a name for what we are. A twisted creature Voldemort decided to create for his own sick pleasure."

Harry blinked, his whole body seemed to tense up. "…You. You killed…"

"I do not kill wizards!" Bella shouted hurriedly, before looking down at her blood stained hands. "Well… To a point." She shrugged. "I mean… I didn't kill the Longbottoms or Sirius. They just…" She stuttered, her hands making vague gestures again.

Harry's eye narrowed and he struggled to sit up properly. "Where am I?"

"Your safe, just as I said before. I am a prisoner, just as you have been for the last few years." She said leaning against far wall. She let herself slide down and rested on the floor, her back pressing up against the wall trying to get further away from Potter.

"A few _years!_ Years! What's going on?" Harry shook his head, then clasped it between his hands and moaned. _"Ow."  
_  
Bella watched him, "Yes Potter, years. I don't know exactly how many… Do you remember the battle?"

"Battle…?" He looked lost. His eyes darted around erratically before narrowing. "…I remember, Lucius and _Macnair_… The axe… Pain… Screaming, my screaming?" He gasped and reached behind himself to feel his back, his hand running down the long, wide scar.

"Yes…" Bella hissed her eyes slid closed. She felt an almost unbearable amount of anger and rage fill her when she thought about what Macnair had done to her Childe. "Macnair almost killed you with that blow. You're lucky to be alive."

"But, _'a few years'_?" Harry glared at her. "Lestrange, why are you here?"

Bella winced at the use of her late husband's last name. "To save you. Your friend, Weasley, tracked me down. He captured me and brought me here, to give you life again."

Harry was very confused at this point; "Why would you do that?"

"Because…" Bella sighed and opened her eyes. She levelled a defeated look at him. "I am no longer what I used to be. Bellatrix Lestrange died some years ago in an experiment. What you see now is Bella, a reject from Voldemort's…" She could not stop her hands from gesturing, _again._"Meddling."

"Oh…" Harry's eyes shifted over her following the path of her markings, down her cheeks across her collarbone under her tattered dress. She had removed her soiled cloak before he'd woken up.

"As you can probably tell, I no longer take orders from Voldemort or anyone else for that matter, I am the first and last of a species that should never have existed… At least until about two hours ago." Bella shivered, as much as she was proud of what she had become that didn't make it right.

"What do you mean?" Harry groaned his head falling into his hands again.

"…Harry." She used his first name to get his attention, he looked up their eyes locking. "Your friends have tried everything to wake you up-"

"Wake me up?" Harry was so confused. _What was going on?_

She sighed, "You were in a chemically induced coma, say thanks to Pansy for that one. They, well Granger has been working 'round the clock from what I heard from Weasley to bring you back from la-la land…"

_Salazar can I get through one sentence without my hands making flailing gestures! _It was an old habit she'd had as a child, though she'd thought she had overcome it with years of pure-blood conditioning. _Apparently not._

"Their last hope was me and my venom. It appears… That it has worked." Silence. It rang for what seemed like an age, she could see him putting the pieces into place. She looked down, she truly felt sorry for what she had been forced to do.

She really had no other choice. Weasley had told her when he had captured her, shoving that forsaken ultra-violet silver contraption in her face. 'Follow my orders or I will make you feel true pain.' As much as she'd find a kind of release in death, she just couldn't bare the shame of being tortured by a Weasley. It all came down to pride, it always did for her.

"So, I'm… What exactly?" Harry looked up at her with big metallic green eyes. He glanced down at his own hands and saw the blue tint, the markings and the black nails. He traced them with his fingers, he was in shock.

"I call us Mapusnoctus…" She said with a shrug.

…_tbc_


	11. Chapter 11

Temporarily putting their fight to one side the three stood at the door, waiting for Bella to inform them on his condition. Slowly the door opened, behind her they could see Harry sitting up on his bed; his head hung. Bella's cool metallic blue eyes swept over the trio.

"He's fine. Depressed and in shock, but fine." Bella crossed her arms under her breasts and leaned against the doorframe, blocking Harry from view. "His memory is intact and he can use all his limbs." She paused and glared at Ron briefly. "You may see him…" She smirked at their happy faces. "_If_ he still wants to see you." Bella still couldn't explain the overwhelming feelings she was having towards Potter.

All of them blinked and all of them said, "What?" Bella wondered if they had practised the action beforehand.

"I've told him all I know of the situation. I thought it would be good for him to hear it from my side, considering that it was I that turned him." Bella paused, it must have been her vampiric instincts kicking in. "He is my Childe and my responsibility of sorts…"

Harry, hearing all this looked up at Bella's comments his eyes roamed over the older woman's back, taking in her deceptively relaxed stance. Harry could tell she was tense, scared even… Maybe. _Could Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's right-hand get scared?_ And yet… Something between them had changed, she had changed. How could she not? _She wasn't even… Human anymore.  
_  
"You… Can't. You're my prisoner!" Ron spluttered his face quickly turning the same shade of red as his hair.

"You had no right to tell him anything!" Hermione said curtly, trying to peer around Bella and into the room behind her.

"I had every right." Bella growled, the sound none-too human sounding. "Just because I'm a… _prisoner…_" She spat. "Doesn't mean I can't tell a young man the truth. Even if it was rushed." Bella uncrossed her arms, now coming to rest on her hips. "What were you three doing while I gave Potter another chance at life, hmm? …Fighting!"

Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes… _Typical for Ron and Hermione but, who was the third?_

Draco sneered. "Really Lestrange. I don't think you're in any position to be barking orders!"

"Oh dear nephew," Bella chuckled. "I really think I am." But before anyone could blink Bella was slammed into the far wall and promptly stunned.

"Bitch!" Ron spat, his wand still levelled at her unconscious form. He strode over to her and kicked her, just to make sure before putting his wand away. "Bloody freak of nature thinks she owns the place now." He yelled.

"For once Weasley I agree with you." Draco added, stepping into the room. "Think we should kill her or just wipe her memory and dump her?"

Hermione slapped Draco's arm. "You will do nothing of the sort. That makes us no better than the mad man we are fighting." Hermione sighed, and looked at Ron. "Ron, she's not a freak, she's just… Different. Remember Harry is now a… _Well,_ like her."

Ron shook his head. "Yeah, but she was always a little coo-coo. I mean… She gets off on hurting people!"

"Enough!" Harry snapped. "None of you, not even me, truly know her! I've been awake for what… Thirty minutes? And she has shown me nothing but respect! Leave her alone and…" Harry gasped, a sudden and intense feeling of nausea filled him. He turned his head and leaned over the side of the table, his stomach crapped painfully but there was nothing for him to throw up.

"Harry!" Hermione rushed to his side and stepped in a puddle of congealed blood and froze. The room was covered in dried blood. "Oh… My…." She looked green. "Let's get you out of this room."

Before Harry could say anything else he blacked out.

…_tbc_


	12. Chapter 12

She was standing at the bridge again. Looking down at the deep green ocean water that rushed under the bridge, the dark clouds that never lifted still hung heavily in the sky. A Strong breeze caused her cloak to whip about her body.

"'Mione?" She knew that voice, she turned to face him. The one she had fallen in love with, the only one who ever looked for her out here.

"Draco." She said, her voice soft, carried away on the wind.

"You scared me again." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tightly against him. "What brings you out here?"

"Life." She said leaning back against him, her eyes looking up at the dark sky. "It's been over six months since she arrived."

"I know." Draco sighed, his hot breath tickled her ear.

"Harry is learning how to adapt well." Hermione hated it, hated what she had allowed to happen to Harry.

"Yes." Draco agreed and rubbed soothing circles on Hermione's stomach.

She sniffed. "I fear that somehow, he is no longer the Harry Potter we once knew."

"That's because he's not." Hermione turned in the embrace and looked confused. "You see, when people are turned, the person that they were… Dies. A new person is born." Draco's eyes looked pleadingly at Hermione. He wished she would understand, Harry would never be the Potter she knew.

"We should have never brought him back." Hermione said, letting the tears fall.

* * *

"…And that's about it. Voldemort has taken over everything and we are one of about ten groups still attempting to kill him." Hermione finished, gesturing to the map before them. It had taken Harry a long time to even be able to walk, so they had decided, unanimously to put off filling him in until he was strong enough. Today was that day.

Harry let the information wash over him, his eyes scanning the map. "Hmm… And that's why you want me? Because of that bloody prophecy?" Harry asked.

"Honestly Harry we've tried everything, you think we haven't?" Hermione pleaded and reached for his hand.

"Oh I don't doubt that." Harry said moving away and looking at his nails.

Bella chuckled, she was liking Potter more and more each day. "Potter-"

"Harry." He corrected.

Bella sighed. "Harry… If Voldemort didn't think the prophecy true, do you really think he would have gone out of his way to kill a baby?"

"Well… No." Harry said looking at Bella.

She laughed, "You're still just a kid." She ruffled his hair affectionately; Harry scowled.

"Anyway." Ron interrupted. "The point is… You're the only one who can stop him."

There was a long pause; "And what makes you think I want to stop him?" Harry asked.

* * *

After Harry had regained his physical strength - as being asleep for almost six years did less than nothing for muscle gain - he had finally started come into his new powers. It was unknown whether the speed at which his abilities manifested was caused by a six-year nap or just because Harry's innate magical power far exceeded Bellatrix's own. Whatever the reason it seemed Bella wouldn't have to baby-sit for too much longer.

During their long training sessions, she had begun to see that Harry wasn't the same person he used to be. Just as she changed after her transformation, he too was changing… Inside.

Bella strolled aimlessly between the many experiments and weapons in the workshop area of the warehouse. Sometimes picking up something and looking at it wondering what it did, if it could be useful or if it could be used against her. The cars were what caught her attention at first, each one beautiful and clean. All of them stolen.

She smirked, these kids were more Slytherin and more like Voldemort and his gang of Death Eaters than they were willing to admit. It was more than interesting to watch them squirm under her gaze or double take at everything she said. They blamed her, blamed her for Harry's change in personality.

If only they knew.

She had been spending a lot of time carefully watching Harry, it seemed that through the venom/blood transfer some of her personality traits also made it into Harry, and she the same. She suddenly found herself thinking and feeling things that she would have never before.

Was it their primal instincts, being the only two of their race, or was it something else? Bella knew she felt protective of Harry now that he was changed. That he too felt pride swelling inside his heart just as she had for their new species.

Whatever it was, it was annoying. Bella had detached herself from emotions long ago, she was alone in this world the only one of her kind, the only one who could feel the way she felt. But that wasn't true anymore… _Was it?  
_  
She stopped beside a motorbike. That's what those muggles called this, _thing._She remembered her cousin, Sirius had one. It looked cool, she privately admitted to herself. She wanted to have a go on the silly muggle toy. What was the world coming to? She wondered.

It was true that she herself had been shocked by what Potter had said. He didn't want to fight the Dark Lord? She just didn't understand it, wasn't he supposed to be the great Harry Potter, Golden Boy, the Leader of the Light? Dumbledore's successor? It appeared not.

"What are you doing?" Draco's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife.

"Wondering. Don't worry, I'm not planning on running off to old Moldy-Voldy… _Yet._" Her eyes glinted with humour, but Draco wasn't laughing.

"Not funny. Not even close." Draco said coldly, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes still narrowed.

"You know… Your father got that attitude of his from me." She said sitting on one of the better looking cars bonnets.

Draco sneered, "Really?"

"He does pull it off better than you but then again he had the real thing to copy, you didn't." She shrugged. Draco rolled his eyes, turned away and went back to his work.

Bella watched him for some time before asking. "You really like Granger, don't you?"

Draco froze; "What's it to you?"

Bella looked up at the warehouse ceiling, and leaned back against the car. "Nothing really… I'm… Just, trying to make conversation."

Draco eyed her for a moment, over his shoulder. "Well… Yes. She is everything I could want in a woman."

"She's muggle-born." Bella stated.

"That doesn't make any difference." Draco snapped and looked back at his work.

Bella paused for a moment to watch his body language. "Then you really do love her." Bella said sliding off the car and walking past Draco. "That's interesting…" She whispered and continued walking towards the training room. Draco just watched her leave, his eyes narrowed to slits.

…_tbc_


	13. Chapter 13

Harry sat on the windowsill, looking out at the gloomy, grey world. He felt a pang of sadness in his heart, it was because of him that the world was slowly dying. Because of him that Voldemort was strangling it, with all his strength.

"It does you no good to dwell." Bella said slipping into his room and closing the door quietly behind her.

"Perhaps." Harry muttered. Bella watched him carefully. _What was he thinking about?_ Harry sighed. "When I was _turned…_ I changed." He looked down at his hands. "I feel different, like I'm not part of this world anymore." Bella listened closely, it was true then, he did feel the same way she did. "I'm not part of the magical world anymore, I'm not a wizard, or a muggle. Hell I'm not even _human_anymore."

Bella lowered her head, he must hate her for what she'd done to him. "I'm so sorry Harry."

Harry glanced at her. "No… Don't be. I know it wasn't your choice and truth be told I am glad you did turn me."

Bella was shocked but forced herself to speak, "When I first woke up from the experiment I hated myself, I had become the one thing I hated most in this world. _A half-breed._I ran away in my shame and hid myself, too embarrassed to even feed. It took me many months to come to terms with what I had become." She sighed lowering her head to her hands. It felt good to tell someone what she had gone through.

Harry slowly stood up and walked over to Bella, she was shaking slightly. Harry circled his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. She shifted and sobbed quietly into his chest. They stayed like that for many hours just holding onto each other, only they knew what the other was feeling. There was no need for words. Carefully Bella pulled back from Harry's arms.

"You know, the wrong decision if made for the right reason can still be a wrong decision?" Bella stared intently into his metallic green eyes. How is it that after only a year she had come to feel so much for this young man? That he, the one person who could end the war was the one person who meant the most to her?

Harry sighed, his hands slid down her arms to her hips. "Meaning, that you're telling me I should get my ex-comatose arse out there and whip some Death Eater and Dark Lord butt?"

Bella smirked; "Not in those words but yes. I am."

"I hate life." Harry closed his eyes bent to lean his forehead against her shoulder.

Bella looked down, and ran her fingers through his messy hair. This was it, she couldn't deny it to herself anymore. Whether they were mates, or it was a simple case of being the only two of their species – it didn't matter. She loved him.

"Many times I have gone over my decision to revive you, and every time I have come to the same conclusion as I did. You were _meant_to finish this war Potter-"

"Harry." Harry said quietly, lifting his head from her shoulder. "Potter died on that night seven years ago. Now I am just Harry…" He smirked at Bella. "The Mapusnoctus."

Bella smiled, her sharp teeth glinting in the low light. "Harry; Destiny's a bitch, go bite her ass. I did."

Harry smirked; "Fate did a real number on us huh?"

Bella placed her hands on either side of his head, "You're a good kid, and who knows maybe one day we'll meet again and you'll be a man." She winked. "After all, both you and I are the only ones of our race." Harry's cheeks turned a light shade of purple. He was blushing!

"However at the present moment, we are both in no condition to be thinking about such things. Just know that I respect anything you chose to do with your extended life."

Harry looked at her with love and respect shinning in his eyes. "I look forward to meeting you again, Bella." He took her hand from his face and brought it to his lips kissing the back of it gently.

She grinned, "Naturally."

Harry watched as Bella left his room. He'd enjoyed holding her, and being held. Harry always looked forward to their talks, she was the only one who understood him. Harry sighed and returned to his seat on the windowsill, he had plans to make.

He felt torn, his emotions where all jumbled. He didn't feel like it was his duty to end the war anymore, he wasn't a part of that world. He felt distant from his friends, he had to be. Every time he was near them he could feel it. The hunger.

That maddening craving to taste their flash, their blood. To feel his teeth tear into them. It was manageable now, after a year if adjustment to the change; but he wasn't strong enough yet. The dreams are the worst part, Harry thought.

At first the dreams has been rather tame, simply killing face-less beings an abstract taste of sweetness and a light pressure on his jaws as he ripped flesh from bone. However, as time went on and Harry grew stronger and came into his Creature abilities his dreams became more and more realistic and detailed.

The face-less beings became humans, muggles, random people he'd seen during his life. He imagined chasing them, toying with them and smelling their fear. He could smell it and it filled him with such excitement that often he'd startle awake panting heavily and sporting a painful erection.

It had terrified Harry! Ron's yelling about Bella 'getting off on hurting people' rang in his ears. He had burst into tears and withdrawn further from his friends; but Bella had known. She'd experienced the same pleasure of bringing down prey, losing yourself in bloodlust and just – _letting go._

The two of them had spent days just sitting together in Harry's room, talking. Harry would explain his urges, his feelings and his violent dreams and Bella would listen. Sometimes she'd share stories of prey she had chased and eaten.

"It's just the werewolf in us." Bella would say.

It was true, the mixture of Vampire and Werewolf instincts waged a kind of constant war inside Harry at first. Bella speculated that each Mapusnoctus would be a different blend of Wolf and Vampire.

At first he wished that he was never turned, but that feeling was soon replaced by a sense of pride. Pride that he was chosen as the only other Mapusnoctus in existence. He and Bella where in this together and that gave him a sense of hope.

If he was still the old Harry Potter he would be out there already trying to take down Voldemort and his armies, he'd run headstrong into battle and… Lose. Yes that was his old self, immature, impulsive and quick to anger. He wasn't that person anymore.

He had to make a plan. A plan to end Voldemort once and for all. Harry knew it wouldn't be enough to just kill Voldemort, no someone else would just take his place. Harry would have to hunt and kill every person, muggle or wizard, werewolf or vampire anyone and everyone who bared the Dark Mark. Only then would he wash his hands of this world which he no longer felt a part of.

And so Harry trained, with a single-mindedness that bordered on obsession. He needed to be stronger, fitter, faster; he needed to know how to use his claws and teeth to kill. He needed to know how to use those weapons that covered the walls of the warehouse. He needed to be prepared for anything Voldemort could throw at him.

It took more than two years before Bella had declared him ready and together they set their plan in motion. Together they would bring Voldemort's to his knees…

* * *

"Harry… What are you doing?" Ron asked.

"Something that someone should have done a long time ago." Harry said grabbing weapons and armour off the racks and shoving them haphazardly into a bag.

"Which is…?" Ron asked watching him.

"Destroy the Dark Lord and all that follow him." Harry muttered, sheathing a broad-sword at his hip.

"Wait… You said-" Ron started.

"I bloody know what I said! I've changed my mind." Harry snapped, pulling on gloves.

"Where's Bella?" Hermione asked walking into the work shop.

"She left." Harry muttered, pulling an arm guard on over the gloves.

"What? She'll run off to HIM!" Ron exclaimed. "She knows were our base is!"

"She won't." Draco added, coming to stand next to Hermione. "I know where her true loyalties lie."

"Yeah… With Him!" Ron persisted.

"No Weasley. With Harry!" Draco snapped. "Grow a brain."

Harry belted another sword around his waist and walked towards the roller door, pushing the button.

"Wait! Harry, where do you think you're going?" Hermione ran after him.

"I already told you." He growled, "I'm going to kill Voldemort. I don't have time for this."

"You really think you can defeat him… Like this!" Hermione motioned to his armour, bags and clothes.

"Indeed I do Granger, bye." And with sarcastic wave, Harry Potter disapperated.

…_tbc_


	14. Chapter 14

"…What should we do?" Ron asked, turning away from the now empty entrance.

"He can't do it on his own… He can't." Hermione whispered. "_He needs us…_We should go after him."

"Are you serious?" Ron shook his head. "He's going to Voldemort's base, Hermione! To Hogwarts!"

Draco gave a frustrated yell. "Argh! Damn you Potter!" Draco turned and began piling the remaining weapons, both muggle and magical into bags. Draco threw the full bags into the back of the gold Ute, then turned to inspect their selection of armour.

"What… What are you going Draco?" Hermione asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm fucking going after that _daft git!_ He's going to need backup." Draco sat down heavily on one of the work benches and began pulling on dragon hide boots. "Well? What are you two waiting for? Are we going to help your stupid friend or not?" He snapped.

* * *

Hogwarts had changed. Voldemort had taken Harry childhood home and twisted it into a nightmare. The castle didn't feel welcoming or enchanting anymore. Now the smell of rotting flesh, waste and Merlin knew what else made the air heavy and muggy. It was disgusting.

Was this truly the vision Voldemort had for the Wizarding world? A disease riddled slum? Poverty, torture and excessive inbreeding? What a waste of power and resources.

It was here that Harry stood, at the gates of the one place no one wanted entry too. The one place he did want entry too. It was time to end it all; the groans and screams of the dead and dying floated through the air like mist. It reminded him of that fateful night almost ten years ago…

The death of the Boy-Who-Lived and the birth of _'Just Harry'_.

Harry didn't rush, he calmly approached the ruins of Hogwarts. His bag of goodies swung back and forth with each step. He wondered how Bella was going with her side of the plan. He hoped he'd given her enough time.

Harry paused, his eyes drifted up, to the tower that he knew Voldemort used as his personal chambers. Through the window he could see his twisted shadow. _It will be so easy…  
_  
Dropping the sports bag beside him, Harry kneeled and opened it. His eyes trailed over the variety of weapons he'd collected before he'd left the warehouse. He glanced back up at the Dark Lords silhouette, at this distance the only weapon suitable would be the muggle rifle.

Harry took his time setting up the brace and loading the muggle gun, there would be no sense in rushing and making a mistake. He'd only get one chance at this. If he didn't get this right now, he'd have to fight Voldemort face-to-face.

He thanked his obsessive nature for forcing himself to learn how to use almost every weapon stored at the warehouse. Without a sound Harry lined up his shot and waited; following the shadows movement for the right moment…

…_tbc_


	15. Chapter 15

"I'm telling you master, he's alive."

A man in a blood-red cloak paced in front of a glass window. His eyes never left the crouched figure on the floor; he was wary though and kept his distance. "Yessss… Alive." He hissed.

"Master, please… I live, only to serve you." The crouched figure pleaded, her face pressed so close to the ground Voldemort wondered if she could taste it.

"Bellatrix; you have stayed loyal to me and as such, you will be rewarded." The Dark Lord hissed turning and looking as his favourite, even after all this time. She had always been beautiful, powerful and perfectly ruthless. Perhaps he should have forced her to bare him an heir before he'd changed her?

It was irrelevant now, he'd made his decision long ago. He wanted her for himself, that's why he had killed the Lestrange brothers. Her pathetic husband had been an incompetent Death Eater and a worse spouse – lusting after young men. It would not surprise Voldemort if Bellatrix had remained a virgin long after her wedding night.

He turned and walked back to his throne, she remained bowed in perfect submission. Her physical changes had continued even after she had escaped, though that could be attributed to the fact that he hadn't fed her while she'd been in his care. She wasn't as thin as he remembered, Voldemort couldn't stop himself, she was pure sin.

"Bella will stay. The rest of you leave!" The Dark Lord barked, he watched as his usual throne-room company all but crawled out the door. The heavy steel and wood door groaned as it slowly swung shut. "Come to me… _My Bellatrix."_ He hissed drawing out the last syllable of her name.

Bella pushed herself up and crawled on her hands and knees to Voldemort. As she approached she bent and kissed the hem of his crimson robes. Her blue-grey hands caressed his legs as she finally brought her face up and looked at her old Master. Voldemort's breath caught in his throat and he hiss out an almost inaudible moan.

Her eyes shone with the same emotions they had long ago, but now… Now they glowed with an inner light. She had no pupil, or conjunctiva, now her eyes were metallic blue speckled with silver and bronze flecks. It reminded the Dark Lord of the starry night sky.

She let her hips sway as she rose to her feet and threw one leg over his lap, straddling his hips. Her hands slid up his chest and over his shoulders. Bella ground her hips into his own, he hardened beneath her. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against the slit that was Voldemort's mouth. It wasn't a kiss, just a feather light pressure, he could feel her breath wisp across his face.

Voldemort groaned and leaned forward, chasing those soft black lips. He let his long fingered hands roam her down her sides, over her hips. She leaned away and grinned at him, rolling her hips again she pushed him back harder, his throne tilted with their combined weight and rested against the window.

He growled at her and squeezed her roughly. Bella licked his lip-less mouth, his chin, his neck lowering her head to suck on his collarbone. Voldemort groaned and let his head fall back against the coloured glass. Bella's hands were beginning to fiddle with the ties on Voldemort's robe when a soft thunk, and the sound of glass shattering sounded. She pulled back to watch Voldemort's eyes roll back into his head, his mouth fell open and he slumped forwards. His forehead rested against her shoulder.

_He was dead. _

A wicked sharp grin split across her face; Bella glanced down at the bullet wound at the back of the Dark Lords balled head – a tiny wisp of smoke issued from the hole. Bella leaned forward and looked down; over Voldemort's dead body through the broken glass and saw him.

Her mate.

Yes that was right, there was no use fighting it anymore, just like there was no use fighting what she had become. He hadn't noticed her looking, preoccupied with sorting through his bag. He paused a moment before discarding what was left and making his way towards Hogwarts.

She watched him, his stance, _his swagger,_ everything about him called to her. They had become very close over the last two and a half years. It would be a massacre from here on. Bella looked back down at Voldemort's body; their plan had worked perfectly. She knew it would take Harry years to track down and kill every, Death Eater in the world, but she was willing to wait, they had all eternity.

And maybe when their paths crossed again, he would be ready…

…_tbc_


	16. Chapter 16

When the trio had arrived at the entrance steps of Hogwarts they expected total chaos and the fight of their lives…. However, it wasn't a glorious heroic battle that was laid out before them but a massacre instead. Screams, shouts, and soul wrenching sobbing echoed from within the castle.

The doors of Hogwarts were ajar, what was left of a Death Eater lay between them keeping them open. A small stream of thick crimson trickled down the old school steps and pooled on the grass at the edge. The trio was collectively broken from their stunned silence by the sounds of gun shots.

The battle had already started and it seemed that even though they had just arrived, it had already ended. Together they pushed it open, what they saw was worse than any nightmare.

_Blood. _

It was everywhere, rivers and lakes of thick steaming crimson blood, Hogwarts had been painted red with it. It squelched beneath their feet as they made their way inside. Beyond the entrance hall lay dozens of bodies, some still bleeding.

Hermione rushed forwards into the Great Hall, and screamed. He'd piled the remains there, almost two foot high, the bodies twisted together and hung limply, oozing bodily fluids mixed with the deepening flood of life-blood.

It was beyond anything the three were ready for. Draco fell to his knees, gore splashed across his body… _It was almost ankle deep now._

_What had they created!_

"Har-Harry… Did this?" Ron croaked and swallowed harshly.

"No…" Hermione sobbed, "Not like this…"

Draco let his head hang forward and he stared at his blood splattered hands, a chuck of flesh floated past his knees. The rhythmic clunk of footsteps cause the trio to glance up at the once grand twisting staircase; now unnaturally still.

"Welcome, friends!" Harry called from the top of the staircase; in each hand he held a severed head. He was covered in blood, his entire body tinted a deep red with the thickness of it all. Globs of flesh slopped off his robes and splattered to the floor below as he leaned over the railing. He looked down at the trio and licked his lips, revealing his white glistening teeth, slithers of skin and cartridge jammed between them.

Ron couldn't take it anymore and doubled over, heaving up what was left of his breakfast this morning.

Harry ignored him, "I'd like to introduce you to two old friends of mine," He held up the left head, holding it by the hair. It's eyes where wide, it's mouth hanging limply open tongue lolling to one side. The lose strips of flesh and muscle dangled and dripped below its chin. "Macnair, and…" Harry revealed the other head; "Lucius!"

He grinned, and truly, there was nothing of the old Harry Potter left. This new being might share his face, his scar, but within was only darkness, and an insatiable hunger.

"The death of the party is upstairs with a hole in his head." His eyes sparkled, but it was not caused by happiness or insanity; no it's was worse than that. It was blood-_lust.  
_  
"Then… It's over?" Ron blurted out looking up from his sick.

"Over? My dear friend… It's just begun." Harry laughed, and released the two heads. Hermione, Ron and Draco watched as the heads fell in a sick kind of slow motion, Lucius' once pristine hair now mattered and knotted with blood and gore. Macnair's vacant eyes seemed to roll back into his head as it impacted with the floor.

The trio frantically looked back up, but Harry had already disappeared.

* * *

"Then Harry, the bravest prince that ever lived, made sure all the bad people would never hurt anyone, ever, again. He saved the world, just like the prophecy said he would." She smiled at her daughter, leaned over and kissed her daughters head, then stood and walked to the door. "Good night, darling."

"Mummy?" She sat up looking at her mother.

"Yes dear?" Hermione paused in the doorway, her hand resting on the doorknob.

"What happened to Prince Harry? Did he ever find his Princess?" Her eyes shone with wonder.

Such an innocent question Hermione thought. "Nobody knows, that's the mystery. He may well be out there, somewhere… Waiting for his princess to find him so they can live happily ever after…"

Her daughter smiled then lay down and closed her eyes. "'Good night Mummy."

"'Night sweetheart." With a soft click the door closed behind her.

"Did she make you tell her the story again?" Draco asked his wife as she entered their bedroom and sat on the bed.

"You know she did." She said as she pulled back the duvet.

"That story will give her nightmares." Draco said, shaking his head.

"No it won't. I've dimmed it down, it's alright pet." Hermione crawled on top of her husband and straddled him. "Nothing to worry about."

Draco groaned and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her down so that her breasts pressed against him. "Only in your mind. What happens if…"

"Draco! We've been over this too many times to count." She snapped and sat up, glaring down at him.

"I know, I know; but still." He insisted, and glanced away from his beautiful wife, "He's alive, he's still out there… _I know it."  
_  
She sighed and leaned back down pressing her lips against his, "Dwelling does us no good."

…_tbc_


	17. The End

Time does not exist for those gifted with eternal life. It is impossible to explain the feeling of being so totally un-hurried in everything you do. What did hours, days, months or even years matter to him now? At first Harry had revelled in his freedom and spent an incomprehensible amount of time doing nothing.

He would find a cave, and simply watch the world drift on. He'd watched countless sunrises and sunsets, winter would turn to spring and spring to summer. Around and around the seasons circled; but eventually Harry grew tired of his own thoughts, dreams and, eventually, even his own company.

He'd then taken up the position of guardian and watched as decades passed, centuries crumbled and men repeated their mistakes and their victories.

He watched as one Dark Lord took the place of another over and over again… Sometimes, like before, the Light would win and sometimes the Dark would claim victory. But the fundamentals of life never changed. And slowly Harry had forgotten the difference between good and evil. Harry wasn't within that world anymore, he was just an observer now.

But, like before Harry grew tired of watching and eventually he returned to that world. He'd returned to Hogwarts and Diagon Ally only to find those buried beneath the ever changing earth. Not even ruins were left.

On a whim he'd tried to track down the descendants of his friends, but their lines has since been bred into obscurity. The names Malfoy, Granger and Weasley had no meaning in the world anymore; and neither did Harry Potter.

So he had donned a false identity, and he disguised his inhuman appearance and joined in the bloodshed. As the world repeated it's cycle of peace and war, sometimes Harry would fight for the light, and sometimes he fought for the dark.

However after a time Harry grew to be, once again, unsatisfied. And then suddenly he knew why, he knew would never be. Not until he found _her_. The only other to share this eternal life; his mate, his Bella…

Their game had begun that night.

He chased her, tried to track her down; but she always remained just out of reach, always disappearing… Each time he rounded a corner, it would be empty. He would reach for her hand and only ever grasp cloth, he'd come away with a scarf or a strip of silk, and it would smell of her… It was an elegant dance, stretched out over decades and continents.

He knew he would never corner her, she would come to him; but that didn't mean he would stop looking, stop chasing or stop hoping.

* * *

Harry had not bothered to learn the name of the Royal Family's ball that he'd crashed the night he spotted her, across the dance floor.

She wore a glamour but he still could see her true appearance beneath the lie. The strapless black cocktail dress swirled around her as her date spun her. His eyes followed her dark markings as they twisted over her legs, her arms and across her back.

She took Harry's breath away.

His eyes narrowed and he growled when her date's hands slipped down from her waist to her arse. He pulled her close grinding against her, she had glanced over his shoulder and their eyes met. Metallic blue glinted with mischief. Harry slipped onto the dance floor and tapped the muggle on the shoulder. He turned and his eyes swept over Harry.

"Can I help you?" The wanker asked.

Harry had barley glanced at the man, he only had eyes for his mate. He hadn't been this close in two centuries. She was even more beautiful close up, Harry took a deep breath taking in her scent.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" Harry held his hand out, palm up. Bella smirked and gently placed her hand in his.

"You may." She had said, and _oh_how they had danced, Harry swirled her and pulled her close and she pushed away and let him catch her and pull her close again. They touched, the most they had touched since before Harry had killed Voldemort. Harry was positively giddy with desire and love and happiness.

And then the music ended and Bella stepped away from Harry. Her hand slipped from his grasp and someone bumped into his shoulder, he glanced away and then when he had looked back, she was gone.

* * *

Harry sighed and leaned back against the thick grass and stared at the clear blue sky. He wondered when he would see her again. He tortured himself with these memories, these glimpses of her… Harry wondered when she would finally let him catch her, when he would finally feel whole, complete and satisfied again.

With his thoughts still filled with Bella Harry's eyes eventually drifted closed…

"Hey there tiga'" A slick voice said above him, startling him.

Smirking he opened his eyes to see the one and only, "Bella." Leaning over him, grinning. Metallic green met blue, she hadn't changed. Not since he'd woken on that steel table.

But he had, she'd changed him that night and he'd continued changing for many years thereafter. Both physically, and mentally. His stance was that of a man now, one who had seen the world. He would never grow any older, physically. _He was so ready…_

"Shall we?" She asked holding out her hand. Harry looked at her and smiled. He reached out and grasped it, pulling himself up. They stood together, holding hands for hours before Harry spoke.

"You read my mind."

_Finite_


End file.
